by Dawnielle Jacobson | Sep 29, 2017 | news
Take advantage of our $100 early-bird discount when you sign up for a 2018 tour before October 1. Head over to davidmcguffin.com and check out some of our newest tours, including The Best of the Med, The Best of Greece and The Best of Eastern Europe.
Calendar photo submission
October 1 is also the deadline to submit your favorite travel photo for the 2018 calendar and win $100 off your next Exploring Europe vacation.
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David’s blog
I’ll be heading to France this week to one of my favorite destinations: Mont Saint Michel. The medieval abbey sits atop a rocky hill that juts into the Atlantic, standing guard over the surrounding marshes. While it can be overrun by tourists during the day, it takes on a completely different atmosphere at night. You can read all about my visits to Mont Saint Michel on my blog.
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Reminder: Win prizes towards future travel
A virtual scrapbook is a great way to share your tour experiences, and you could even win a free trip to Europe. Enter David’s 2018 online tour album scrapbook contest and you could win a free seat on any 2018 David McGuffin tour. Second and third prizes win gift certificates to put towards travel. See the previous competition winners to get some inspiration here. The deadline to enter is February 5, 2018.
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Your Adventure Starts Here!
by Dawnielle Jacobson | Sep 16, 2017 | news
I would like to thank you all for your concern as Hurricane Irma passed over Florida. Charlotte and I were in Italy and our family is safe. If you are dealing with the effects of the storm, please know that you and the rest of our fellow travelers from the Southeast are in our thoughts. We hope that you, your family, neighbors and friends are safe.
On behalf of the Exploring Europe team, I wish you and your community strength and resilience as you recover from this devastating storm.
Our Newest Tour
Visit Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary as you explore Eastern Europe in our newest tour. These countries, which have undergone drastic political and social changes over several decades, offer an array of old-world imperial cities and charming off-the-beaten-path villages.
Here are some of the adventures awaiting you on the Best of Eastern Europe tour:
- see the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall Memorial
- visit Europe’s largest castle complex in Prague
- take a walking tour of Kraków, the home of Pope John Paul II
- remember the Holocaust in a visit to Auschwitz
- sample “bull’s blood” wine
- soak in a thermal bath
- cruise down the Danube
- and more!
See the full itinerary and sign up for an upcoming tour here.
Our entire 2018 line-up is on sale until October 1, so be sure to check out our tours on davidmcguffin.com and take advantage of our early-bird discount.
Reminder: Win prizes towards future travel
There is still time to submit your favorite travel photo for the 2018 calendar and win $100 off your next Exploring Europe vacation. The deadline to submit photos is October 1, 2017.
While you’re digging through your photos, why not put together a scrapbook website! It’s a great way to share your tour experiences, and you could even win a free trip to Europe. Enter David’s 2018 online tour album scrapbook contest and you could win a free seat on any 2018 David McGuffin tour. Second and third prizes win gift certificates to put towards travel. See the previous competition winners to get some inspiration here. The deadline to enter is February 5, 2018.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
by Dawnielle Jacobson | Aug 25, 2017 | news
We’ve added two more tours to our 2018 line-up! See below for details on The Best of the Med and The Best of Greece. We’ve also extended our $100 early-bird discount through October 1. New tours are still being added, so keep checking davidmcguffin.com. Keep an eye out for two more additions: The Best of Eastern Europe and Battlefields of France and Belgium.
The Best of the Med
This tour weaves together three countries, four languages, five cultures and some of the best scenery along the Mediterranean. You’ll enjoy two days in Barcelona before heading to France to experience medieval castles and Roman ruins. Then spend three relaxing days on the beautiful Italian Riviera.
On this tour, you will have a chance to:
- visit Gaudi’s imposing cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, and his colorful Park Güell
- shop in La Boqueria, Barcelona’s famous market
- Wander the cobbled lanes of the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne
- take in the Roman-era aqueduct at Pont du Gard and the Colosseum in Arles
- stroll along the seaside promenade and dip your toes in the Mediterranean in Nice
- catch some sun on the beaches or hike through the vineyards above in the Cinque Terre
- and more!
See the full itinerary and sign up for an upcoming tour here.
The Best of Greece
Ancient Greece has contributed much to the Western world: the philosophy of Socrates, the literature of Homer, the math of Pythagoras, the physics of Archimedes, the Olympic Games and democracy. Explore the ancient capital for the better part of two days and take advantage of the country’s 8,500-mile coastline. This tour provides the perfect mix of sightseeing, education and relaxation.
Here are just a few of the adventures awaiting you:
- Visit the home of the Oracle at Delphi
- See the site of the first Olympic Games
- Walk along the shore of a seaside village on the Mani Peninsula
- Climb the steps of an ancient theatre at Epidavros
- Hike up to the hilltop fortress in Nafplio
- Bask in the sun on the island of Hydra
- Take a tour of the Parthenon in Athens
- And more!
See the full itinerary and sign up for an upcoming tour here.
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Win prizes towards future travel
Submit your favorite travel photo for the 2018 calendar and you could win $100 off your next Exploring Europe vacation. The deadline to submit photos is October 1, 2017.
While you’re digging through your photos, why not put together a scrapbook website! It’s a great way to share your tour experiences, and you could even win a free trip to Europe. Enter David’s 2018 online tour album scrapbook contest and you could win a free seat on any 2018 David McGuffin tour. Second and third prizes win gift certificates to put towards travel. See the previous competition winners to get some inspiration here. The deadline to enter is February 5, 2018.
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Your Adventure Starts Here!
by Dawnielle Jacobson | Aug 11, 2017 | news
We have been working hard on our 2018 tour lineup, and we are pleased to unveil our newest tour!
Best of Southern Italy
This tour takes you to many off-the-beaten-path regions and some of the largest southern cities. You’ll fly into Rome then travel across the country to the Gargano Peninsula and the Adriatic Sea. Back across the boot, you’ll have a chance to explore the Amalfi Coast, the ruins of Pompeii and bustling Naples.
Here are just a few of the adventures awaiting you:
- visit Emperor Hadrian’s first-century villa in Tivoli
- take a cruise on the Adriatic
- visit a medieval castle in Puglia
- enjoy a local wine tasting in Lecce
- explore the cave dwellings in Matera
- tour a water buffalo farm and sample the famous mozzarella di bufala cheese
- see a well-preserved Greek temple in Paestum
- take a tour of Pompeii
- learn to cook traditional pizza in Naples
- and more!
See the full itinerary and sign up here.
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Free and Discounted Tours for Tour Alumni
Did You Know?
David offers lots of discount opportunities to tour alumni through various competitions and just for traveling with him. You could even win a free trip! Here are some of the ways you can take advantage of your former Exploring Europe experiences to make new memories.
2018 Online Tour Album Scrapbook Contest
The scrapbook contest is back! So dust of your flash drives and get to work making a scrapbook that will withstand the test of time. A scrapbook website is a great way to share your tour experiences with friends and family, and you could even win a free trip to Europe! Join David’s 2018 online tour album scrapbook contest and you could be off to Europe again before you know it! First prize wins a free seat on any 2018 David McGuffin tour. Second and third prizes win gift certificates to put towards travel. See the previous competition winners to get some inspiration here. The deadline to enter is February 5, 2018.
2018 Calendar Photo Submissions
Do you have a great photo that you want to share? Send us your best Exploring Europe photo and it could be included in next year’s calendar. Your photo could be the inspiration that pulls someone through the dreary winter months or announces the arrival of summer. You will receive $100 off your next Exploring Europe vacation if your photo is chosen! The deadline to submit photos is October 1, 2017.
Discounts Just for Being a Tour Alumni
If you don’t want to work for your discount, all you have to do is travel! For each Exploring Europe tour that you take with David, you can get $50 off the next one.
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Your Adventure Starts Here!
by Dawnielle Jacobson | Jul 29, 2017 | news
If you’ve poked around davidmcguffin.com recently, you may have discovered we’ve been sneaking around adding new tour destinations and departures for 2018. At the moment you’ll find our popular Ireland and Italy tours are all spruced up and ready to go. In the coming weeks, we will add new tours to our favorite and most popular destinations, as well as new itineraries to distant destinations. Everything should be in place by mid-September, so I hope you’ll keep exploring at davidmcguffin.com to see what adventures may be in store for you in 2018.
New tours will be posted every week, so be sure to check back. You won’t want to miss the debut of our new Southern Italy tour! Details coming soon.
Early Bird Discounts
To celebrate the kick-off of our 2018 tours and to get your travel plans off the ground, we are offering a $100 discount on all new 2018 tour enrollments from now until October 1. You don’t need to do anything except sign up and complete your application before the deadline. We will automatically deduct $100 off the published fare and note it on your tour confirmation letter and invoice. This also applies, retroactively, to those who have already signed up for a 2018 tour, provided you did not receive a travel show special already. Remember, this $100 early signing bonus will be in addition to any other discounts, such as those given to tour alumni.
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Our Summer Travels
2017 has been a busy year for our tours. Even though we’re barely halfway through the year, we’re almost completely sold out on our remaining tours. This year, we’ve taken hundreds of travelers all over Western Europe, exploring new locales and striking out on exciting adventures.
We just completed eight weeks in Ireland and Italy, our most popular destinations. Rome, Florence and Venice are obvious, must-see destinations, but going off the beaten path into the small towns and villages always seems to bring special highlights and wow moments to any tour in Italy. Ireland is no different: Dublin and the great historical sites in the countryside are fantastic, but it’s dancing a jig with a lonesome fiddler and lifting a pint in a small pub that always creates a lasting memory from Ireland.
Upcoming Tours
The coming months take me back to Italy, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Then, I am scoping out a new tour (which will debut for 2018) along the Mediterranean coast, visiting Barcelona, Carcassonne, Avignon, Arles, Nice, Monaco and the Cinque Terre. I am calling this the Best of the Med tour. In late October, I’ll be showing a few friends and my most avid alumni my favorite destinations in Greece. We’ll visit all the must-see sights and a few new destinations, for me, as well. For the first time ever, I am including the island of Santorini on my Greece itinerary. The year closes out with my “Best of London and Paris” tour followed by a completely sold out Christmas markets tour. Whew, that’s a lot of tours and travel!
All my tours are designed for strictly small groups ranging from 6 to 24 travelers. This means that we can travel off the beaten path and under the big bus tour radar and experience Europe on a unique and personal level. Eating well is also a priority, and you’ll get your fair share of fine food sourced locally by excellent chefs. I’ve spent years poking around Europe’s nooks and crannies looking for unique restaurants, clean hotels with character and cozy B&Bs. Our tours include all tips and gratuities to drivers, local guides and your tour leader. Finally, we’ll never nickel and dime you with extras and add-ons. The advertised price is the price you pay.
Thanks for reading and I hope you do a little poking around at davidmcguffin.com to kick start your new adventure to Europe!
Your Adventure Starts Here!
by Dawnielle Jacobson | May 19, 2017 | news
The Dollar is Sinking
The U.S. Dollar has fallen to a six-month low against the Euro and is projected to continue to sink. Financial experts are concerned that President Trump and his administration, which has bounced from one crisis to another over the past three months, are incapable of following through with campaign promises of an economic stimulus package. Instead of positive economic news coming from the USA, it seems that all eyes (and pocketbooks) are focused on the drama brewing in Washington. While this may rouse varied emotions from us Americans, it will only directly affect those who travel internationally, especially those traveling to Europe. So, if you have international travel planned this summer, here are some tips to help you ward off the sinking Dollar woes.
- Purchase Euro cash from your bank now; don’t wait. Most major banks will sell its customers foreign currency. This comes with fees and markups, but it may be a small price to pay, especially if the dollar continues to sink. For two travelers, I suggest purchasing €200 per week to get you started. Keep in mind that Europeans use cash a lot more than we do here at home.
- Do Not purchase foreign currency at the airport kiosks or online sites. These companies rely on unsuspecting travelers who need to exchange money but do not have the skills to do it themselves. These online sites and kiosks charge the highest exchange rates and come with expensive fees as well.
- Use a credit card designed for travel. Most credit card companies have cards designed for the traveler offering no foreign transactions fees and other travel benefits such as 24/7 travel assistance, accrual points and other features. If you must use a credit card, enquire about this type of card.
- Do Not pay for your foreign purchases in real or virtual US Dollars. Americans traveling in Europe will always loose when paying in US Dollars. Never pay for anything using US Dollars cash. If making a credit card transaction, always decline the option of paying in US Dollars. Both of these options may be presented to unsuspecting travelers. Transactions of this sort carry the highest exchange rates. See my article for more details: https://goo.gl/rUOJO8
- Don’t fret and worry about the exchange rate while traveling. There is absolutely nothing we can do to influence the world’s financial markets, so don’t sweat the small stuff! Try to avoid doing calculations and asking, “How much is that in dollars?” Enjoy your vacation, spend your money and sort it all out when you get home.
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Discounts on Summer Travel
Take advantage of big savings and explore the British Isles on tours departing this summer: Taste O’ Ireland July 6-15, The Essence of Ireland July 16-25, and The Best of Scotland and Wales August 3-12. See below for more details.
Ireland
The Emerald Isle is home to ancient monastic sites, fairy forts and charming villages. In almost any village pub you are sure to receive a warm welcome and be regaled with traditional Irish music. Our tours offer a perfect balance of sightseeing and cultural experiences to help you explore the land of forty shades of green.
On the Taste O’ Ireland tour, you will:
- take a tour of the Guinness Brewery and enjoy an authentic pint of stout
- visit Trinity College for a look at the Book of Kells
- kiss the Blarney Stone
- stop in at a pub for live folk music
- see a crystal-cutting demonstration
- do an Irish whiskey tasting
- peep over the edge of the 700-foot Cliffs of Moher
- and more!
See the full itinerary and sign up for the upcoming tour here: July 6-15
On the Essence of Ireland tour, you will:
- take a tour of the Guinness Brewery and enjoy an authentic pint of stout
- visit a 5,000-year-old tomb
- kiss the Blarney Stone
- stop in at a pub for live folk music
- peep over the edge of the 700-foot Cliffs of Moher
- explore the neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey and medieval Dunluce Castle
- walk across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
- and more!
See the full itinerary and sign up for the upcoming tour here: July 16-25
The Best of Scotland and Wales
From the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands and the remote islands along the west coast to the s
erenity of the Lake District and the medieval castles and quaint villages of northern Wales, you’ll explore some of the best sites the UK has to offer.
Here are some of the wonderful experiences that await you:
- catch a glimpse of the Stone of Scone (aka the Coronation Stone) in Edinburgh Castle
- visit the oldest golf course in the world at St. Andrews
- enjoy fresh-caught, local seafood in the coastal town of Oban
- take a ferry to the Isle of Mull and Iona, the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland
- take in the rolling hills and peaceful villages of the Lake District
- climb the impressive defensive castles of Conwy and Caernarfon
- tour a working woolen mill and ride a steam-powered train
- and more!
See the full itinerary and sign up for the upcoming tour here: August 3-12
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Your Adventure Starts Here!
Take advantage of our $100 early-bird discount when you sign up for a 2018 tour before October 1. Head over to davidmcguffin.com and check out some of our newest tours, including The Best of the Med, The Best of Greece and The Best of Eastern Europe.
